Jewett City native publishes 'Real Story of Santa Claus'

Every classic Christmas story usually has an amazing story of how it originated and the sources of its inspiration.

SHANNON O'CONNOR

Every classic Christmas story usually has an amazing story of how it originated and the sources of its inspiration.

Author, composer and songwriter Gary Paul Bryant, a Jewett City native, found his inspiration for his short Christmas story “The First Ride: The Real Story of Santa Claus” from many sources. A huge inspiration was, however, a pair of Steven Spielberg’s films — “E.T.” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”

“I saw all these Santa Claus movies and I always thought they were hokey. Too frilly, too magical, and too tinselly,” Bryant said. “I said, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to do a Steven Spielberg approach to it where this Santa Claus guy was actually a real person with just a little hint of magic instead of being a super hero.’ ”

Bryant’s 40-page book, published by Streteka Books in June, tells the realistic story of Nicholas Claus as his life becomes intertwined with the lives of the Pepin family, headed by patriarch Max, on a farm in Hopeville. The story of the Pepins’ encounter with Nicholas is being retold by Max’s grandson, also named Max, in attempt to prove to his friends the validity of Santa Claus.

“My grandfather’s name is Max, and that is who is actually writing the diary,” Bryant said. “His father was also named Max, so they are actually names of real people.”

Classic Christmas clichés such as elves, reindeer and Santa’s sleigh were all creatively included to offer a hint of Nicholas Claus being more than human.

“The whole story of the legend of Santa Claus is just what we do with this little book, a compilation of a lot of different legends from different places all combined together into one story,” Bryant said.

Bryant’s extended family, like the family in the story, owned some property in Hopeville.

“My mom’s family’s property is part of Hopeville State Park now,” Bryant said. “Right after it became the state park they sold it to the state in like the 1950s.”